Shoring apparatus, such as screw jacks, steel shores, and the like, have long been utilized as both temporary and permanent weight-bearing support structures. Some examples of such uses include new construction, both commercial and residential, where such apparatus may be used to support additional levels as the structure is raised, and reconstruction, where such apparatus may be used to provide support, e.g., to shore up a sagging ceiling or floor when the support joists have been compromised. Other traditional uses for shoring apparatus include search and rescue operations, mining and excavation, support for form structures utilized in pouring concrete or other cement-type materials, and similar applications.
Typically, shoring apparatus include, at a minimum, a base, a core rod, and a tightening mechanism or assembly, with the core rod designed so as to provide adjustability to the length of the apparatus. Many times, the core rod's exterior is threaded in order to provide precision with respect to this adjustability. Due to the core rod being threaded to enable precision relative to raising and lowering the apparatus, incrementally extending or retracting the core, as well as tightening and loosening the core relative to the base, these apparatus can sometimes be difficult to use. This is because the tightening assembly—which typically includes a nut of some type, such as, for some examples, wing nuts, hex nuts, and capstan nuts—can get jammed, cross-threaded, or similarly malfunction. In other instances, particularly in situations where the device is in use and thus bearing weight, the threaded core and tightening assembly respond to the resultant weight-induced compression by being extremely difficult to loosen. In addition, over time, friction and wear can cause the threading to become worn to the point of slippage and resulting shoring apparatus failure. Because of these issues, a need in the art exists for an enhanced design for a shoring apparatus that minimizes friction, reduces wear, increases safety, and enhances the utility of the apparatus.